AON

Good idea. Sometimes the double sided tape is difficult to clean up. Thanks!

I had completed making all the Orlop deck gratings (image below). From what I could find they ran along both sides of the hull , full length, and this was called the carpenter's walk. There was also a run along the bow from port to larboard (starboard) and three central gratings. The topside of all were flush with the top of the beams. The first task was to lightly sand the top of the grating battens to be flush with the grating ledges as mine stood a bit proud. I set my sandpaper down onto the small repurposed pastry marble slab with some double sided tape to keep it secure and had at it (image below). Installing the gratings was, at first, an overwhelming challenge. The grating ledges were to be set into notches cut into the deck beams and carlings. Aligning these notches properly was impossible, and occasionally splitting the beam corners off unavoidable. To alleviate this, I simply cut (chiselled and scraped) the corner edges off of the beams and carlings that the grating ledges were to rest on, and then I sanded the underside corners of the grating ledges that were to rest on those beams and carlings (image above). Applied a little dab of white PVA glue and plopped them into place. When looking down at it you cannot tell the complete beam corner is gone, plus it will be deep enough below other decks that seeing anything will draw attention away from such a small detail. In the image above I only have the three central gratings installed. I did not install the floor, lower futtock or second futtock riders. The second futtock riders pass through the Orlop deck and up to the underside of the Gundeck clamps. In doing so, these run alongside the deck beams and pass through the gratings in those areas. That is why some beams haven't knees in between bracing them. When installing those gratings I notched them out to allow the passage of the riders. I have no intention of adding the riders... they won't be seen or missed. Once all the gratings are in I will install the Orlop standard knees above the floor beams. Then I move up to the Gundeck. I am further along than these photos suggest but still will need a couple of nice days to finish them off. Yes, I am back outside working on the ship, so nice weather is a must. Yesterday was rainy, today is a bit cruddy, and the next few are forecasted to be wet!

I think it better for ventilation and drainage open. A model of the Bellona has it open.

Now you've got me wanting to make anchors.

I imagined more of them.

We would secure with a half hitch or two between tackle (two blocks or even thimbles) and may complete by wrapping the standing end around further and finish with another half hitch to hold it there, or alternatively simply coil the remainder of the standing end of the line and place it out of the way.

do the extreme ends need to be tapered like staves on a barrel?

Good to be reminded to sometimes think outside the box. (There is more than one way to cook an egg)

I am assuming there was some heat involved in forming the plastic tube (pressing out the sides). Is that correct.

It's been a month of many things. Spring has sprung, grass cutting, readying the patio, preparing the flower and vegetable gardens for later next month. All the orlop deck stairways are installed. Made some of the standard knees but they are not installed as yet. I've got 12 of 23 gratings sets made. I won't be posting anything until I've got them all assembled and installed.

To bad you are so far away as our local club (MSON) has been trying to give one away along with a magnifying head set.

Are they for show or "to go" (R/C controlled model)? If for show, do you have any knowledge of the details or dimensions of the props? They could be easily 3D resin printed and painted.

clever and simple!

What a beautiful example of rigging of a ship. If you keep up this standard she will be a master build. Well done!

Like the hot sauce... I use it everywhere too!

The camera doesn't lie. I see no blemishes at all. Well done! When will you be scheduling classes?

On the other hand... I imagine they used what they had. If you didn't have a fiddle block of the appropriate size you "McGyvered" one of your own!

Well then, I'm in good company!

Just wondering... I wonder why a set of blocks nested end to end was used as opposed to a fiddle block? ...not expecting an answer, unless someone knows!

First let me say I haven't done a miniature eye splice (yet) and I am impressed with anyone that manages it so well. With full size rope, I find that gripping it either side of where the eye splice will be, twisting to unravel the strands and pushing both hands together will open the strands to get a spike or fid into and hold it. I imagine with small scale rope (1:64) the same will likely be true, the needle being your fid or spike, though a third hand might be useful. This might make it easier to make sure you don't pass a strand through a strand. When the splice is done I would put it on the floor, step on it with my shoe, and roll it back an forth under my body weight to tighten it up. I imagine rolling the scaled down version between a pinched thumb and finger would do the same thing. One day I will have to try this all for myself.

Great job. Looks amazing! BZ How many fingers were sacrificed?

you certainly made that look easy.

I honestly do not know. How quickly did people receive the information and actually implement it?

Dave You are going to chase your tail on this one. These are rules of thumb they worked to in that age... but they weren't chiselled in stone if you get my drift. Also, getting it dead nuts on seems really important right now, it took me about two years to get comfortable with working to a reduced scale and the "close enough" concept. The difference between the two calculations at 1:64 scale is indistinguishable to look at and absolutely no one is going to take a vernier to you model but you. If you can actually make your mast exactly to scale your better than me. It is akin to a ship build contract stating what length and breadth the vessel was to be built to... and when done they wrote in the actual dimensions on the drawing.

looking very smart and clean! BZ